From the Inside, Out

I've never been a blogger. In fact when it comes to technology I don't get too excited and am pretty skeptical about the latest gadgets or new ways of social "interaction". However, I would like to share an experience that has inspired me to write a blog and share the most meaningful things about life as they are encountered. My hope is that readers would be able to see the little bits of truth that are all around us but we have trouble sometimes being able to see. The most fun I think I will have is to be able to share this experience with my wife. I have to say, she is a much better writer than I am but the goal is to share thoughts as her and I experience life together as a family. This is what I/we hope to capture.

During the early days after our son was born last month, I  had the honor of spending lots of time with our 2+ year old daughter. In all of the different things she is soaking in about life, one thing she is into right now is art. Painting, crayons, markers, you name it. It is really awesome to sit back and wonder what is going through her mind as she draws different lines, circles, etc.

She asked me to draw with her one morning after breakfast. Now I am not an artist by any stretch of the imagination. I have a very hard time drawing a cute stick figure. Naturally I feel a little insecure when I draw because I usually have a very beautiful picture in my head of what I would like to convey on the paper but something gets lost in translation.

The lesson for me here was this. There are many thoughts, images, questions, etc. that I have in my mind. No matter what, I should put away any insecurity about communicating them and just get out what I am thinking, feeling, or experiencing on the inside. For the benefit of my relationship with my family, sharing the deep parts of myself will only be a gift to them. No matter how immature I think the communication medium may be, the gift isn't in how well spoken (or well drawn for that matter!) my inner most thoughts are but the fact that I am sharing the deeper parts of myself with my children and wife is the gift. Guys are not typically good at communicating what is going on with them on the inside. This happens for a myriad of reasons I will not get into. I hope this story can be an encouragement to guys to just get out what you may be thinking, feeling, or experiencing on the inside to those closest to you. This will only strengthen bonds.

To me, my winter landscape picture I drew in crayon with my daughter was pale in comparison to the beautiful snow covered rolling hill farmland image I had in my head. I would like to believe that Natalie saw a masterpiece by the likes of Picasso or Caravaggio!

This blog serves as yet another medium to share what is happening on the inside.